Not What it Looks Like
by TotalCSIfan
Summary: While out in public Nick and Jackie have a major misunderstanding and it very well could lead to trouble in paradise! Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing of CSI

Not What it Looks Like

Jackie was driving home from having coffee with a friend. Nora was sound asleep in her car seat in the backseat. The other kids were at her parent's house, they were taking them out for pizza, then to the arcade, and then they were spending the night, mostly because they had begged Nick and Jackie to be able to stay over at their grandparent's house.

Jackie opted to keep Nora because it would be less for her parents to handle.

Suddenly Jackie felt the car jerk, she knew immediately what was wrong, she had a flat tire.

She pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road and then got out to inspect. Just like she thought the front left tire was flat.

She sighed and got back in her car.

She knew how to change a tire but she hadn't done it in years, it would take her all day.

She called Nick but got his voicemail.

She didn't want to call her dad because she didn't want to ruin the kids' fun so she called Greg.

Greg asked her where she was and then assured her he'd be right there. He showed up in about ten minutes.

"You are a lifesaver Greggo, thank you so much!" She told him.

"I've always enjoyed playing the role of knight in shining armor." He quipped.

She laughed and popped the trunk so he could get the spare tire.

He had it changed in no time flat.

"You are all set." He told her.

She was just about to answer him when her stomach grumbled. The plans with her friend for coffee had been last minute so she'd skipped lunch so she wouldn't be late and now her grumbling stomach gave her an idea.

"Hey Greg, I'm starving, let me buy you lunch as a thank you for coming to my rescue."

"You don't have to do that." He told her.

"I know but I want to, have you eaten lunch yet?" She asked.

"No, I was actually just going to make myself a sandwich when you called."

"Great, then let me buy you lunch."

"Well you certainly don't have to, but I am hungry."

"Awesome, do you like Italian? There is this new Italian place not far from here that I've been wanting to try."

"Yeah I do." He said shaking his head vigorously.

"Alright, let's go there."

"Ok, I'll follow you." He responded.

They arrived at the restaurant and got seated, the baby was still fast asleep in her car seat.

"She probably won't stay sleeping for long with all this noise huh?" Greg asked as the sound of a glass plate being dropped in the kitchen echoed through the restaurant.

"Noise doesn't bother her, she's got eight brothers and sisters who are not exactly quiet."

He laughed.

They ordered soda's and were munching on the bread that the waitress had left on the table.

"What happened to your hand?" He asked as he noticed the good-sized gash across her knuckles.

"Long story, let's just say that me and staple removers don't get along very well."

He chuckled.

"It got you good." He told her as picked up her hand and brought it towards him so he could get a better look.

"Yep, it did, who knew being a first-grade teacher was so hazardous." She quipped.

Greg nor Jackie realized that Nick had just walked into the restaurant, and he didn't like what he saw, there sat Jackie and one of his closest friends at a nearby table and he was holding her hand!

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Greg was still examining her hand when the sound of someone clearing their throat made both he and Jackie jump.

"Nicky, what are you doing here?" Jackie asked.

Even though absolutely nothing inappropriate had been going on Greg dropped Jackie's hand so fast it hit the table with a thud.

"Ouch." She shrieked.

"Sorry Jackie." Greg said immediately.

"What's going on here?" Nick said, with a mixture of hurt and anger in his voice, more so hurt though.

"Nick this isn't what it looks like." Greg assured him.

Nick looked from Jackie to Greg expectantly.

"I had a flat tire, I called you but you didn't answer and since my dad is with the kids I called Greg. Then I decided that I would take him out to lunch as a way to say thank you." She explained.

That explained what the two of them were doing at the restaurant but it didn't explain why Greg was holding her hand.

"And the only reason I was holding her hand is because I was looking at the gash she has on her knuckles, that's all that was going on, I swear man." Greg told him and Jackie nodded vigorously.

Nick's posture softened.

"Alright, I believe you, I'm very sorry I jumped to conclusions. Forgive me?" He asked his wife and good friend.

"Forgiven." Greg said immediately.

"Yes, forgiven." Jackie said with a huge smile as she scooted over in the booth so he could sit down next to her, but she scooted gingerly so she didn't disturb the sleeping infant still in her car seat.

"Jacks, you say you called me because you had a flat tire?" He asked.

"Yep."

"My phone never rang." He stated, sounding puzzled.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and then hit the button to turn it on, it did nothing.

"It's dead, I'm so sorry."

"That's ok." She said with a shrug.

"Thanks for helping her out Greggo."

"No problem." Greg assured him.

"Nicky, what are you doing here though, this isn't exactly the place you come to eat at alone?" Jackie asked.

"Well I know that you have been wanting to try this place so I called and ordered us take-out for lunch."

"That's very sweet of you but I have a better idea. Why don't you join Greg and I for lunch and then we'll take the take-out home and have it for dinner. Greg and I haven't even ordered yet."

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea to me." Nick told her.

"Are you ready to order?" The waitress asked as she returned.

"Can we have just a couple more minutes?" Jackie asked apologetically.

"Sure, take your time." She replied before walking away.

"Hon, what did you order me for lunch in the takeout?" Jackie asked Nick.

"Chicken alfredo, your favorite."

"Ok, great, thanks, then I'll have the chicken parm for lunch."

"Chicken parm you taste so good." Greg said without missing a beat.

Nick rolled his eyes and Jackie burst out laughing.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Greg said sheepishly.

"You both watch entirely too much TV." Nick told them with a grin.

The waitress came back and took their orders.

While waiting for their food to arrive Nora started to get fussy.

"She's probably hungry." Jackie said as she glanced at her watch.

"Uh, I'm going to go sit over there, like way the hell over there." Greg said as he motioned to a table clear across the room.

Nick and Jackie both burst out laughing.

"It's ok, you don't have to move." Jackie said as she fished out a bottle from the diaper bag and held it up for Greg to see.

Greg looked relieved, he grabbed his soda and took a giant drink of it.

Nick very nicely offered to feed Nora and Nora had only been eating a few minutes when their food arrived.

Greg stared at Nick.

"What?" Nick asked, catching his gaze.

"I'm just amazed at how you can feed her and eat pasta at the same time, for me pasta is hard to eat with two hands." Nick laughed.

"I've had a lot of practice." Nick assured him.

"Want me to take her Nicky?" Jackie offered.

"I got her." Nick insisted.

Everyone finished their meals, happily laughing and joking with one another.

"Thanks so much for lunch." Greg told them.

"Sure, thanks for coming to mine and Nora's rescue." Jackie replied.

"Yeah thanks Greggo." Nick echoed.

"It's no problem, Nick I'll see you tonight at the lab."

"Alright, sounds good." Nick answered.

"Bye Jackie."

"Bye Greg, thanks again." Jackie said.

Greg gave her one more smile and then left.

Jackie strapped Nora's car seat back in the car and then headed home while Nick grabbed his takeout order and then followed her home.

Lunch had been fun, and the food had been really good which was a good thing since that's what Nick and Jackie were having for dinner that night as well!

The End!


End file.
